Serious Post: race as an issue hits me for the first time this campaign

OK, I can honestly say that I haven't thought about Barack's race this entire campaign, at least as a factor influencing my vote one way or the other. Sure, I've thought it from the perspective of how it might influence the election: how it was ridiculous for ignorant whites to vote against him because of his color and how it was frankly a little uncomfortable how so many blacks were supporting him out of stated racial interests. But the fact that Obama is black simply hasn't affected me personally these last two years that I've been supporting him.

Until last night. It hit me like a ton of bricks. Seeing the reactions of African Americans - from those in the crowds to journalists on TV to those who were volunteering with me on the campaign - I couldn't help but be moved, and moved deeply. This is a special moment, and it's more than just the best man winning; much more. This is to our society what landing on the moon was to technology; an historic achievement that America was able to bring about. Only the Soviets could've beaten us to the moon; the incredible and profound meaning represented in this election could only happen in America.

Every nation on the planet is founded in tribalism. They are land areas where one tribe is dominant, and are often even named after that tribe (England is the Angles, France the Francs, Hungary the Huns, etc.). In all of these nations (at least the democratic ones) they elect the most popular member of their tribe to their highest office, and tolerate the minority tribes in their midst. But America is not founded on a tribe. It is the only nation on earth founded on an Idea. And only in such a nation could a man not of the majority tribe win the highest office in the land, purely because that man best encapsulated and expressed that Idea.

This truly is the greatest country on earth.